The Question of Colombia's Indigenous – protecting, valuing and enriching

No one can deny that there is not a crisis occurring amongst the indigenous people in Colombia. There are over 80 distinct indigenous groups in Colombia, and they each face their own obstacles, common when aboriginal culture and the colonization clash. However, in Colombia the issues are complicated by a 40 year old civil war that has territorial hotspots that overlap with indigenous land. The FARC and the AUC in addition to the Colombian military are all reported to have committed atrocities against many indigenous groups. Caught in the middle, the indigenous are often targeted by the paramilitiaries for being FARC sympathizers while ironically being under attack by the FARC for being resisters to their guerrilla movement.

Because the “indigenas” are difficult to track in the vastness of Colombia, there are no accurate numbers available to account for those currently displaced by the violence, but we can be assured that the number is growing at an alarming rate. 

In addition to the violence, the indigenous are being directly affected by issues such as the coca spraying being done under the U.S. backed, PLAN Colombia. The spraying of potentially dangerous chemicals from the air has damaged food crops and poisoned water supplies and wildlife for many groups living in areas where coca is being grown. As people with strong ties to the land, this damage is devastating. While the indigenous have made excellent strides through the courts in Colombia in their fight to protect their land, the fact remains that extensive damage is still being done and basic rights are continuing to be violated.

While there is no easy answer to the question of Colombia's indigenous people, it is clear that a solution will need to include several approaches.

It would be an important step for the Colombian government to re-evaluate the coca spraying to seek more effective ways of fighting the “drug war” and thereby limit the damage being done to innocent bystanders. According to several studies, coca spraying, as a form of drug prevention, is actually one of the least cost effective approaches. The US and Colombian governments would benefit by directing more funds and programming towards education, rehabilitation and other more cost effective solutions.

The Colombian government should also show respect for indigenous people by consulting them when major projects are being planned involving their land. This is actually a protected right of the Indigenous under Colombian law but in practise it is often not the reality. In cases such as Occidental Petroleum and the U'wa, it has been documented that intimidation, threats and violence were often used to reach outcomes favouring the government and big business. This is clearly not in the spirit of the laws that have been created to assist and protect the Indigenous.

Direct and immediate action must also be taken to provide help for shelter, food, water, and sanitation for the displaced. This is necessary as a short term solution but more importantly the indigenous population also needs protection from violence, exploitation, and displacement by illegal armed groups.  While the country attempts to find peace, they must also protect those caught in the middle. The indigenous people need support to preserve the property rights granted them under Colombian law. Without this vital protection, Colombia risks creating a population so culturally devastated that they will spend the next 50 years trying to repair the problem. 

Such a fate has fallen on the indigenous in countries like Canada and Australia where there is simply no longer a viable way to undo the damage. Languages have become extinct; substance abuse, suicide, and domestic violence are swallowing communities whole. Well intentioned and expensive solutions are simply too late to be effective. 

It is essential for Colombia to avoid falling into this trap by taking action now to do everything it can to protect their indigenous people. - Kristin Taylor

Originally published on Colombianblog.com 04/23/06